WPC Update: Gomez Beats Feijen, De Luna Clashes with Corteza in Round of 64
By Marlon Bernardino
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 07 Nov 2007
ROBERTO GOMEZ WINS 1ST MATCH
FILIPINO ROBERTO GOMEZ clustered three straight racks to upset heavyweight European no.1 player Niels Feijen of the Netherlands, 9-6, to inch closer to the last 64 in the ongoing 2007 Philippine World Pool Championships at the Big Dome yesterday.
"Buti na lamang nag dry break si Feijen sa 13th rack, 'yung ang turning point bagama't nakauna tayo ay nakahabol naman siya," said the Gomez, 28, dubbed as Pinoy Superman.
After Gomez takes a 6-3 lead in the match, Feijen, tagged as the Terminator, a robot character in a movie of Arnold Schwarzenegger, answered three straight racks including a 3-9 combination in the 12 th frame.
But a dry break in the 13th racks allowing Gomez to gain a rack lead before winning the match at 9-6 enroute the last two remaining racks.
Gomez, who swept his preliminaries group matches last year's that includes former US Open 9-ball champion Corey Deuel but falters to eventual winner Ronato Alcano in the knock-out phase.
In other results, Pat Holtz of Scotland trounced Wojcieh Trajdos of Poland in a similar 9-6 win while three-time world junior champion Wu Yu-lun of Taiwan upset former world 9-ball champion Johnny Archer of the USA, 9-7, even Lee Kung-fang of Taiwan disposed Michael Schmidt of Germany, 9-6. Konstantin Stepanov of Russia, meanwhile clobbered Alejandro Carvajal of Chile, 9-4, while Dharminder Lily of India nipped Charlie Bryant of the USA, 9-3, and Ryu Seung-woo of Korea crushed Bahram lofty of Denmark, 9-4.
DE LUNA CLASH CORTEZA IN KO STAGE
JEFFREY "The Bull" De Luna and Lee Vann "The Slayer" Corteza will try to knock each other out in order to enter into the round-of-32 in the ongoing 2007 Philippine World Pool Championships at the Big Dome today (Wednesday).
De Luna, 23, is fresh from winning the 1st Manny Pacquiao International 9-Ball Championships while Corteza, is the current National Open Championship winner.
"Kung sino ang b'wenas sa break at manalo ng opening lag siya marahil ang mananalo sa aming laban," said the 28-year-old Corteza, playing under the banner of Negros Billiard Stable who lost to Serbia's Goran Mladenovic, 7-9, but beat Taiwanese Pei Wei Chang, 9-4, and US bet Jeremy Jones, 9-4, last Sunday, in succession. Corteza, beat Wu Chia-ching, the 2005 WPC winner in their $3,000 money game match last Sunday at the One Side Billiard Hall in Malate, Manila.
De Luna, on the other hand, beat Sander Tot of Serbia, 9-5, and Taiwan's Fu Che-Wei, 9-3, late Monday to progress.
"Bibigyan natin ng magandang laban si Van-Van (Corteza), tiyak yan," said De Luna, the 2006 Doha Asian Games 9-ball silver medalist.
NBS coach/manager Christopher Palses said "Balikatan, s'yempre kasi hindi na basta-basta si Jeff (De Luna), may malaking title na yan eh. Suwertehan na lang sa break," added Palses, a certified class O player, a habitu? of Celebrity Bar and Grill Billiard Hall in Bacolod City.
Billiard and Snooker Congress of the Philippines (BSCP) president Ernesto Fajardo said "Simula bukas (ngayon) talaga natin makikita ang tunay na aksiyon, talagang hindi maiiwasan na hindi magkakaharap ang mga player natin. Pero ang mahalaga ay Filipino pa din ang mananalo,"
Francisco "Django" Bustamante, the 2002 WPC runner-up, who is eyeing the top prize of $100,000 plus the prestigious crown takes on David Alcaide of Spain in the last 64 while Alex "The Lion" Pagulayan, the 2004 WPC winner face Pham Tuan Ngoc of Vietnam.
"Hindi basta-basta si Alcaide, beterano na yan eh," said the 43-year-old Bustamante, pride of Puyat Sports.
Bosom buddy Efren "Bata" Reyes, the 1999 WPC winner takes on Group 11 winner.
However, if Reyes, acknowledged as "The Magician" in world of pool, beats his round-of-64 opponent, he will face the survivor of the De Luna and Corteza match.
"Kahit sino, ready naman tayo," said Reyes, a hall of famer in billiard.
Joven "The Shark" Bustamante, the 2007 Korea Pro Tour Champion, takes on 3rd placer in Group 13.
Ramil "Bebeng" Gallego goes up against Kuo Po-Cheng of Taiwan, a former World Pool runner-up while defending champion Ronato Alcano, who is aiming to retain his title takes on 4th placer in Group 16.
Leonardo "Dodong Dadiangas" Andam, who edges Raj Hundal of England, 9-8, late Monday will test the mettle of Group 15 3rd placer while Antonio Gabica slug it out with winner of Group 13.
Marlon Manalo, 2005 WPC 3rd placer, who beat Li He-wen of China, 9-7, late Monday, the 2006 WPC semi-finalist will meet Radoslaw Babica of Poland.
Former World Champions Ralf Souquet of Germany and Earl Strickland of United States hurdle their do-or-die match late Monday to progress. So far, only Thorsten Hohmann of Germany, also a former World Champion failed to progress.
Mika Immonen of Finland, Wu Chia-ching of Taiwan and Oliver Ortmann of Germany, former world champions also advance in the last 64.
Dennis Orcollo, Roberto Gomez and Rodolfo Luat, meanwhile playing their opening games yesterday.
The Philippines has the most number of entries with 15 followed by the United States with 11 entries. Antonio "Nickoy" Lining, is only Filipino casualty after day 3.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Marlon Bernardino.
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